Myrnin's Choice
by SorryMyWritingSucks
Summary: Following on from Bitter Blood, Myrnin attempts to come to terms with Claire's departure and his feelings for her. Clyrnin ficlet. Any feedback welcome :) Complete, but if I ever get time or inspiration I might write a few spin-offs based on it
1. Chapter 1

He paced along the chaotic remains of his lab, glass shattering beneath his feet. His hair, wild and untameable, much like the look one saw in his eyes.

"Myrnin, she's leaving. Don't you understand, she going to leave, and she won't come back. You won't have another chance to tell her." Amelie said to the back of her old friends head.

"Tell her what Amelie? That I want her to stay here in Morganvile, stay with me?" he responded, agitated at the very thought of his young assistant.

"Tell her the truth Myrnin. Tell her that you love her."

"And then what?" he cried, slamming his fist onto the already greatly abused table, adding yet another crack to accompany the many more he had inflicted upon it over the passing hours. "Beg her to stay? Beg her to choose me over college, over her dreams?" - He shook his head "No."

"What are her dreams compared to what you could offer her? An eternity of knowledge, of learning. Of love."

Amelie didn't understand, she never understood the complex workings of Myrnin's mind. He could never ask that of her. Not Claire.

A solitary tear slid down his tired, sunken face.

"I can not do that Amelie. I will not damn her to this...this...hellish existence. She deserves, more - so, so much more." he whispered, voice breaking as he thought of the possibility - an eternity with Claire.

"More? What more could anyone _possibly_ offer!" She demanded in reply.

"A life Amelie! Freedom! I won't have her trapped here like a lab rat. Stuck in Morganville, a vampire. her friends, family, loved ones, her life. Gone. The entire human population turned against her. I won't commit her to the same suffering we are forced to endure everyday!"

"So you would lose her instead? Spend the remainder of your time wallowing in misery, drowning in your anguish?" Amelia said, voice rising in anger and frustration.

"I would lose her Amelie - if it meant that she was happy, I would let her go."

Myrnin closed his eyes and sank into his chair, felling drained - human for the first time in many years.

"For her, I would give up anything," he confessed "Everything."


	2. Chapter 2

Claire knocked on the door to Amelie's office. She had been summoned to fill out some papers before she left. After spending the past three years with Amelie, considering her almost a friend now, she was still shaking, certain that Amelie wanted something more of Claire, why would she call her to her office for this? Why not simply send her a copy of the papers? She slowly pushed open the door as the always-assertive voice from behind it ordered her to.

"Sit down." A stern Amelie requested. Dressed in a familiar ivory trouser suit, she exuded control and authority, as always. Claire anxiously took her seat, attempting to look calm, even if her racing heart rate betrayed her.

"Here, you must fill these out before you can leave." Amelie mentioned, pushing the forms towards Claire.

Claire scanned the sheets, simple enough; it wouldn't take her five minutes.

"Was there…anything else you wanted?" Claire asked.

"_Else?_"

"Well, it's just that," Claire mumbled "Well, you really didn't need to call me here for this, I assumed that there was another reason for asking me here?"

"Hum. Interesting. No, I merely request that you see Myrnin before you leave." She replied.

"Amelie, I can't do that. I really don't want to have to say goodbyes…" Claire confessed.

"I am not asking you Claire." Amelie retorted, placing unnecessary power behind her words. "For now, you are living in Morganville, you shall do as I ask, and you still work for Myrnin. He requires your assistance organising the lab before you depart. It seems that it has found itself in disarray once more."

"Amelie…."

"Enough Claire. You shall see him." Amelie gazed down at the small picture that sat on her desk, the only personal touch to be found in her office. "He shall miss you, you know? He won't admit it, but he will…He cares about Claire."

"That's why I can't see him, Amelie!" claire demanded. "I can't face him again, not now that I'm leaving."

"Why on Earth not? It appears that things have come to a succinct end with Mr Collins, have they not?"

"I thought you of all people would understand. I've lost him Amelie. I've lost the only person I've ever truly cared about. Just because you moved on to Oliver, stuck to him like a leech after Sam _died for_ you, doesn't mean that I can move on so easily!" she spat.

"Enough!" Amelie roared, fist coming down on the dark mahogany desk. "Don't you dare insinuate that your teenage romance compares to relationship I shared with Sam. I've heard more than enough Claire, you shall leave, now, and you _shall _go to see Myrnin."

With that, Claire hastily retreated out the office, blush rising on her cheeks as she swelled with anger and annoyance. She stormed out of the Town Hall and into the burning midday sun, reluctantly rounding the corner towards the Day house.


	3. Chapter 3

Myrnin sat, collapsed in a pile on the cold stone floor of his lab, lost among shattered glass, an array of what one might loosely call 'tools', and scatterings of cogs and springs.

"Oh, dammit Claire, _WHY. WON'T. THIS. THING. WORK!" _he cried, banging the device on the floor as he accidentally sliced open his finger and.

He had spent his entire day trying to fix Claire's contraption that magnified a person's emotions. As he sat now, nursing the small pool of dark blood, already coagulating, he cursed himself for even trying to mend the thing. It seemed silly really, but he wanted her to take it to Boston with her, working as she'd planning it to. Taking a small piece of the lab and Myrnin with her as she left them both behind. It was hopeless. Even Bob agreed, but it didn't stop Myrnin from working away at it for a few more hours, his lab becoming more cluttered and confused with every passing minute.

He was so lost, tirelessly working away that he failed to hear Claire calling outside the lab, so seamlessly slipped into primal hunting mode as he heard echoing footsteps approaching from the top of the marble stairs. His dark brown eyes shifted to a deep, hungry red, fangs slipping down as the scent of blood, a sweet perfume radiating from a young a girl, drifted down towards him. He lurked by the stairwell, enmeshed in shadows. Waiting.

As the young girl's foot hit the bottom step Myrnin lurched forward, leaping up onto the steps behind her, seizing her wrists, holding them both tight behind her back with one hand, placing his other haggard hand over her mouth. A chuckle rumbled through his chest as her warm quickening breathes hit his hand and her body shook beneath his grip. He could smell the fear dripping off her. Oh how he'd missed the hunt.

"Shusshhh, child. There's nothing to fear, it will be quick and painless, I assure you." he cooed, stroking her cheek with the hand that he held plastered over her mouth. "Well," he spoke through a smile "Not too quick, that would be far to mundane. Don't you agree? We must savour the finer things in life, it's so rare that I get a visitor I can _sink my teeth into."_

His laughter reverberated off the walls as the stranger began to struggle and squirm, screaming against his marble hand. Releasing her hands momentarily, he thrust her head to the side, revealing her smooth pale neck, throbbing as the blood rushed through her veins. He inhaled deeply, savouring the scent of her panic and terror. Content that his snack was adequately terrified, he sank his fangs deep into his guest's neck, lapping up the sweet sticky blood that hit his tongue. Strange. Familiar. A syrupy, mellow twang of honey-like sweetness spread through his mouth that he only recalled ever tasting once. His eyes snapped open as cold realisation rammed into his chest, tearing through his ribcage.

Claire.


	4. Chapter 3 - Claire's POV

**Chapter 3 from Claire's point of view. A resolution to the cliff hanger is coming soon, I promise.**

Marching around the corner from the Day house, Claire was a bag of slosh as she stumbled down the ally, truly feeling like she was being squeezed down a funnel. For the first time in a long time, dread swelled in her chest.

"Myrnin," she called as she reached the crumbling shack that sat above the lab. "I spoke to Amelie, she said you needed help cleaning up the lab." With that, she crawled through the small opening by the door and began her descent into the madness.

The small hairs on the back of her neck began to bristle. Something was wrong.

A small gasp escaped her lips as her hands were snapped back, seized in an iron grip, another hand slapped against her mouth. Her heart immediately began racing and fear flooded her mind, her attempts to stay calm, pointless. Just relax, she told herself, it's Myrnin. He'll recognise you, know it's you. he won't hurt you, trust him.

"Shusshhh, child. There's nothing to fear, it will be quick and painless, I assure you." he cooed, stroking her cheek with the hand that he held plastered over her mouth. "Well," he spoke through a smile "Not too quick, that would be far to mundane. Don't you agree? We must savour the finer things in life, it's so rare that I get a visitor I can _sink my teeth into."_

No! he didn't know, didn't know it was me. She tried to struggle, but she knew it was pointless, causing herself more harm than good. As he began to squeeze her wrists harder to restrain her she knew that small bruises were beginning to lace their way around her hands.

"Myrnin!" she cried, the sound of her plea trapped against his hand.

Her neck was abruptly snapped to the side. _No, no,no. This isn't happening. Myrnin, please stop. _She felt the familiar stabbing pain of his fangs sinking deep into her neck and her knees became weak as he began to lap the blood that spewed out of her.


	5. Chapter 4

Her body went cold and limp in his arms. Panic coursed through him as stared down at Claire's fragile form which he cradled in his arms, unwilling to rest her on the filthy, hazardous jungle that was the lab floor. '_What do I do, what do I_ do' he thought, trying to staunch the flow of blood with his hand, her sweet, delicious scent still wafting towards him. '_Control yourself Myrnin, this is Claire_' a thought that only deepened his desire. He eventually summoned enough restraint to check her pulse without salivating. Tears welled in his muddy brick-red eyes as he felt it weaken with every surge. His aching chest swelled with the knowledge that it was too late for a hospital, even with the portals temporarily up and running once more, Claire still wouldn't make it in time. The portals! Sweeping Claire up into his steady arms he stealthily leapt through the misting black portal, landing with a small thud, trying to cradle Claire from the impact, honestly uncertain about where they would materialise.

Lifting his head, Myrnin peered up into the familiar icy blue gaze of Amelie.

"Well I must say, this is a surprise. You know Myrnin, I have long considered us friends, you are more than welcome to come and see me without your added drama and theatrics." she said, gazing some-what perplexed at Claire's sagging, bloody, body.

Roaring straight past her, Myrnin sent a flurry of paper work cascading down on the room as he cleared her long mahogany desk, gently laying Claire down upon it. A small sob caught in his throat as he saw how peacefully she lay. Images of her lying broken and bruised on the floor of the Glass House flooded back into his mind, sending another surge of panic through his bones.

"Not now Amelie!" he barked, exasperated. "Can you not see that I require your aid?"

"Obviously, as you have _once again_ complicated matters beyond excess." she stated matter-of-factly. With a touch of sincerity she added, "I would suggest taking her to the hospital, but I assume that she is beyond that point, or I doubt that she would be lying in my office." Hesitating slightly, she continued as Myrnin tenderly began smoothing Claire's hair out of her face. "You know Myrnin, it does not have to end like this."

The thought had obviously crossed his mind, though Myrnin only allowed it to whisper sweetly at the back of his mind. "No, Amelie, I cannot let that happen."

"You would watch her die instead?" she responded quizzically.

"She would meet the same fate if I were to act. It must be her chose and how could she choose in such a state?" he replied, a hint of sorrow seeping through. He'd be lying if he said that he didn't want to change her, but he was always surrounded by the faint hope that she would choose that life, choose him, rather than having it forced upon her. "No Amelie. I won't condemn her to this life as we were, unknowing of our fate and un-wanting of its burden.

"Then say goodbye my friend for her time is nearing." Amelie whispered as Claire's heart gave a small final stutter, only able to maintain itself for a few more minutes.

Once more the images of Claire's corpse flooded his mind. It doesn't have to end like this, Myrnin realised, a hopeful spark gleaming in his eyes.

She chose once, she can choose again.

"Myrnin,you know the risks of what you are about to do. Letting her choose to stay human could kill you - it's not how the process was designed." Amelie called, a hint of worry present in her words.

It was too late. he gazed, almost apologetically at Amelie before sinking his teeth once more into Claire delicate neck.

(-_-_-_-_-_-)

** CLAIRES POV**

The world around me began to clear and a small hazy glow radiated around me. I felt weightless, floating. As if gravity had just, let go. It was calm and peaceful and although there was a niggling sense of urgency and worry in the back of my mind, I pushed it aside, letting myself fall deeper into a sweet slumber. '_Claire?' _A voice called. _'Claire, listen to me!' _

The voice echoed around my head. Myrnin? _'Oh Claire, my dear sweet girl, what have I done to you?' _I, I don't understand. What's happening to m...Realisation. Tell me you didn't! Images of the encounter swirled through my mind rapidly as I felt myself becoming drawn towards the speckled light,my body dropping in temperature. You bit me!_ 'I know Claire, I'm so very sorry, but we don't have time for this Claire. I'm sorry to ask this of you Claire but I need you to choose."_

Choose? Well it's obvious, I choose... Humanity was the end of the sentence, but was it? A week ago maybe, but it's over with Shane. I chose humanity once, for him, but this time, this time I could choose differently, choose and eternity of knowledge, of learning. Choose Myrnin. The insistent tug that led me to the lights strengthened, as if gravity had finally caught up. My family, friends, life, College, Eve, Michael, Shane, everything I had to live for spun through my mind in a flurry.

I. I choose...

Darkness descended before Claire could finish her sentence, her body fading into the cold darkness

_"CLAIRE!"_

(-_-_-_-_-_-)

**MYRNIN'S POV**

The gentle pull of Claire suddenly released and with a surge, the connection broke, snapping Myrnin along with Claire back into Amelie's office.

"No!" he cried, outraged. "No, this isn't how it was supposed to happen." he sobbed, sinking to the floor. She hadn't chosen, not at all. She'd just let go, given up and so the choice was made for her.

Myrnin crouched over Claire's feeble body, watching as her skin turned to ivory and a rosy gleam began to reappear on her soft lips. He carefully brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, smoothing his fingers over her cold, soft cheek.

"I'm sorry, Claire. So very, very sorry."


	6. Chapter 5

SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG

Pain spread through her body. Every cell was screaming and bursting into flames. The heat, spread through her veins and consumed her in an instant but the torture only grew.

She couldn't formulate a single clear thought as her body continued to scream, thrashing in agony but being held solidly in place by a great force that soldered her to the ground. Darkness plagued her and images of Myrnin flashed through her mind, followed by another bolt of searing heat; a whip that lashed at her bare skin, drawing blood.

Wha-what-what's-happening-t-to-mee she whimped in her mind between the sobs.

Myrnin's gentle voice brushed against her consciousness.

_"I'm sorry, Claire. So very, very sorry."_

**Myrnin?** She called, voice broken, weighed down with fear.

Her extremities got colder and her surroundings, darker. A pressure built in her head, a burning, a need, a thirst.

* * *

Her eyes snapped open. Light flooded her mind and slapped her across the cheek. She shoved herself back instinctively, landing 3 or 4 meters back, hunched over like an animal. She could feel the burning rising in the back of her throat, the only thoughts she could conjure were that she must quench it, before the pain consumed her once more. Eyes glowing deep crimson a snarl spread across her lips were once there was a smile, fangs sinking slowly down.

**'Claire' **The strength in Amelie's voice was clear and her control tangible as it swept through the air. Nothing, it meant nothing. The usual crippling affect it had on a person simply brushed off Claire. A hint of panic washed over Amelie.

A whisper ensued from the corner of the room, 'Claire'. The pain in Myrnin's voice caused her head to snap towards him, immediately still. 'Claire... stop.' he murmured, voice thick with remorse at the sight of Claire, his Claire, a monster. 'I'm so very sorry my dear, but I believe that this will help,' he said, tossing a small bag of O negative at her feet.

He couldn't bear to look as his sweet, kind, lab assistant tore into the bag, devouring it's contents.

'Alright, Claire, it's going to be alright.' he uttered as he saw her eyes darken back into there usually deep brown, and her fangs retract back into it's familiar soothing smile.


End file.
